Highway access → arrival
Herrick Avenue / Elk River RoadExit 702
Arrival: Signed Elk River Trailhead parking at the end of the BLM approach.
Approach: Exit at Herrick Avenue / Elk River Road. Go east on Herrick, take the first right onto Elk River Road, continue 1.6 miles, turn right to remain on Elk River Road, then continue 4.2 miles to trailhead parking.
Elk River approach can flood. Salmon Pass is a different, reservation-only trail and is not this arrival.
Official directions & access ↗An 11-mile round-trip BLM trail following the South Fork Elk River to an old-growth loop, with the historic Falk site and education center along its first mile.
Access details
- Parking
- Follow BLM directions on Elk River Road to the signed trailhead; parking is limited and no office address or feature centroid is used as a directions pin.
- Viewpoint
- The route interprets watershed restoration, the former Falk townsite, and old-growth forest.
- Trail
- The first mile is paved and accessible. Dogs and bicycles are limited to the first three miles; the final ascent is strenuous.
- Public water access
- Swimming is prohibited in the reserve.
- Water conditions
- Day use is sunrise to sunset; camping, fires, grills, and motorized trail access are prohibited.
Plan from the official source
Bureau of Land Management is the manager or primary source for this entry. Check its current page for changing hours, fees, reservations, road restrictions, and closures.
Open BLM Headwaters Forest Reserve ↗